Celebrate Earth Day

As you know, this month we have been sharing eco-friendly tips and advice in honor of Earth month. Earth Day first began in 1970 and was started by a U.S. Senator, Gaylord Nelson.

after witnessing the ravages of the 1969 massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, California. Inspired by the student anti-war movement, he realized that if he could infuse that energy with an emerging public consciousness about air and water pollution, it would force environmental protection onto the national political agenda. –www.earthday.org

Earth Day started with 20 million people coming together to make a change and bring awareness to environmental issues and is now celebrated by more than a billion people each year. We wanted to share some ways to celebrate and to make a difference all year long!

Look for local events in your area. If you live in the Hampton Roads area for example, Virginia Beach is hosting an Earth Day celebration at Mt. Trashmore. This event will have a recycling zone for document shredding, electronic recycling, metal recycling, hazardous waste recycling, and hardware and wood recycling. There will also be live music, a green market supporting local artisans, wellness activities, and children’s crafts.

Give your car a break! Walk, ride your bike, take the bus or train, or even skateboard. This may take more time, but having a little extra time outside never hurt anyone! You can even utilize time on a bus or train to catch up on your favorite book.

Unplug and get outside. Soak up some vitamin D and take in the beauty of the great outdoors. This is the perfect time to check out a new hike or park that you have had on your bucket list!

Get your hands dirty! Plant a garden or start your seeds if you live in a colder climate.

Implement small changes in your home. Create a plan for implementing a more eco-friendly home. Whether it is buying a reusable cup, recycling more, cutting back on waste, or turning off lights and electronics, there are so many simple ways to reduce your environmental impact.

Volunteer. Look for different green volunteer opportunities in your area. Volunteer Match, Sierra Club, AmeriCorps, and Ecoteer are all great websites to look into for volunteer opportunities both locally and abroad.

Craft. Crafting with kiddos can be a great way to create teachable moments and foster your inner creativity. Don’t have kids? Try to challenge yourself to make an up-cycled craft. Hop on over to our Pinterest board for some Earth Day crafting inspiration.

Pick up trash. Now is the perfect time to get outside and clean up litter around waterways, in parks, or even in your neighborhoods.

For more inspiration, check out some of our previous Eco-friendly blog posts from this month. What are you doing to celebrate Earth Day this year?